


Paws for Thought

by JessicaEBoswell



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: someone really does need to keep an eye on Caboose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2017-03-18
Packaged: 2018-10-07 07:33:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10355328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JessicaEBoswell/pseuds/JessicaEBoswell
Summary: Someone really needs to check up on Caboose more often. Who knows what kind of things he picks up along the way?





	

“Oh, you are so fluffy, Mr Mittens,” Caboose cooed to the tiny kitten in his arms, reaching out a gauntleted hand to stroke the cat’s soft fur and earning himself a quiet meow.

He walked behind the others as they progressed along the plains. There was nothing but sand around for miles, and more than once many members of their party had complained about being bored, but Caboose didn’t have that problem. Ever since he’d found the little kitten, hiding in the ruins of a city they’d passed a few days ago, he’d been preoccupied with looking after it, talking to it as they’d journeyed and secretly giving it pieces of his food along the way.

“And you’re shiny to.” To anybody but Caboose, the glowing cat would have been an oddity, something to avoid at all costs and eradicate as soon as possible, but he quite liked the glow of the creature, the gentle light soothing him.

As the group traipsed across the plains, Epsilon suddenly became aware of another lifeform, his senses alight as he searched for the extra traveller amongst them. “Stop,” he said, Carolina halting and the AI fragment appearing on her shoulder, his gaze trailing to something behind them.  

“What is it?” she asked, turning around and trying to spot what was amiss.

“There’s another lifeform travelling with us. It’s scrambling my readings,” he replied, his visual unit falling upon Caboose as the blue soldier eventually caught up with them. “A cat?” the fragment screeched.

That got everyone’s attention, and the soldiers turned almost in unison, their gazes fixed on Caboose and the tiny kitten in his grasp.

“How could we not have seen he had a cat?” Simmons questioned, looking around at his teammates incredulously.

“That’s what he’s been talking to,” Tucker said in realisation. “I thought he was talking to himself.”

“Yeah, so did I,” Grif added.

Washington smiled and approached the furry animal with a grin, reaching out to stroke its little ears as it turned its attention to him and meowed.

“I wouldn’t touch that thing,” Epsilon warned.

“Why?” Washington scoffed. “It’s just a cat.”

“A radioactive cat.”

“And suddenly it doesn’t seem so appealing.” The ex-freelancer backed away, glaring at the little creature, but regardless of this new startling information, Caboose didn’t seem perturbed by it. “Uh, are you not going to put it down and back away?” he inquired.

“Why would I do that?” Caboose asked, tilting his head in confusion and looked around at the others, noticing that they too seemed apprehensive about Mr Mittens.

“Because it’s radioactive.”

“It’s not radioactive. It’s a cat.”

Washington could almost see the blank expression the blue soldier wore under his helmet, and he knew it would take much more than that to part him with it.

“Caboose, you have to leave it,” Epsilon told him sternly. “It’s dangerous.”

“Oh, no, Church, Mr Mittens isn’t dangerous,” Caboose replied, holding the cat out and narrowing his eyebrows in confusion as the other backed away from him. Why were they so scared of a harmless little kitten? Seeing that they were reluctant to greet the cat, he brought it back to his chest and stroked its head gently.  

“It’s radioactive!” Epsilon stressed, trying not to shout. It wasn’t Caboose’s fault, he knew that deep down, but sometimes he found himself getting annoyed to the point where he wanted to scream at him. “You have to leave it here, Caboose.”

The blue soldier looked down at the cute little kitten, and then up at the projection of Church, torn as to what he should do. He didn’t want to abandon the cat, but he also didn’t want Church to be angry either. Best friends didn’t make each other angry.

“How long have you had that thing?” Tucker asked, his hand reaching for the sword on his belt, just as a precaution.

“I found him in the last village we passed through,” Caboose answered.

“That was eight days ago!” Simmons screamed, shaking his head in disdain. “How has it not killed us? How has it not killed _you_?”

“Dude, Caboose once ate radioactive berries and he didn’t even flinch,” Tucker said, shrugging his shoulders.

“They were delicious,” Caboose sighed wistfully.

“Unfortunately it’s going to take more than a radioactive cat to kill him.”

“Can we just get back to the point here?” Epsilon asked, trying to remain calm. The cat and its radioactivity were playing havoc with his scans, and he wanted rid of it. He breathed out, determined to remain composed. “Caboose, leave the cat.”

“I can’t, Church,” Caboose groaned. “I promised I’d look after him.”

“Caboose, I swear, if you don’t leave the cat, I’m going to-”

“Church,” Carolina said, almost scolding the AI fragment with her tone. Now was not the time for threats. “It doesn’t seem like any of us have been effected by the cat, but you really do need to let go of him, Caboose. It won’t be safe for him where we’re going.”

“Exactly,” Epsilon piped, seeing what Carolina was hinting at. “He could get seriously hurt, and I’m sure that’s the last thing any of us wants.”

Caboose looked down at the glowing cat again, and he knew that they were right; it wasn’t exactly safe being a soldier, and could he really endanger Mr Mittens like that?

“He’ll be safe out here,” Epsilon assured him, watching as he dejectedly placed the cat on the ground.

The creature turned around on the spot, glanced up at Caboose, meowed, and then ran off across the sand, his little form fading as it got further and further away from them.

“Maybe once the war is over, I can get another cat,” he sighed sadly, hunching his shoulders over as he began to walk ahead of the others, hoping he’d done the right thing.

“Don’t worry, Caboose,” Washington said supportively, clapping the blue soldier on the back. “If we get out of this alive, I’ll get you a cat. Preferably one that doesn’t glow.”


End file.
